The current study investigated the relationship between image processed data and human visibility data for natural forest scenes from the perspective of color. In particular, the results indicated relatively low Pearson product-moment correlations between the color ratings obtained from the two methods used in the study. The first method measured the color content of slides using a image processing program, while the second used a panel of human judges to rate the color content of each slide.

The natural carbon cycle has been perturbed since the mid-19th century by anthropogenic COemissions from fossil fuel combustion and deforestation due to population growth and industrialization. The current study simulated the global carbon cycle for the past 42 years using an eight-box carbon cycle model. The results showed that since the terrestrial biospheric carbon sink was roughly offset by the deforestation source, the fossil fuel emission source was partitioned between the atmospheric and oceanic sinks. However, the partitioning ratio between the atmosphere and the ocean exhibited a change, that is, the carbon accumulation rate was faster in the atmosphere than in the ocean, due to a decrease in the so-called ocean buffering capacity. It was found that the ocean buffering capacity to take up excess COdecreased by 50% in terms of the buffer factor over the past 42 years. Accordingly, these results indicate that if the current COemission trend continues, the future rate of increase in the atmospheric COconcentration will accelerate.

A laboratory-scale dual-column biofilter system was used to study the biofiltration of dimethyl disulfide(DMDS). The biofiltration of DMDS was found to depend on the pollutant loadings rather than the inlet concentrations. It was estimated that the pollutant was only inhibitory to the operation of the biofilters at DMDS concentrations greater than 5500 ppmv A residence time of 30 seconds(120 m/m/h volumetric loading) was determined as appropriate for efficient operation(>90%). The maximum elimination capacity for both compost mixtures under the current experimental conditions was found to range from 7.5 to 10 g-DMDS/m/h. A lower DMDS maximum elimination capacity was exhibited under acidified conditions.

Butyltin (BT) compounds were measured in seawater, sediment, sediment core, settling solids, and plankton from Gwangyang Bay in 2001, Tributyltin (TBT) was detected in seawater from 1 out of the 7 seawater sampling sites and in sediment from 18 out of the 35 sediment sampling sites. The highest concentration of TBT was found in the sediment from the site near Yeosu Harbor (53 ng Sn/g dry wt), acting as the point source for TBT The mean concentrations of TBT were in the order of plankton> settling solids> sediment. The degradation indexes ([DBT]+[MBT]/[TBT]) for the plankton were less than 1, indicating the possibility of recent inputs of TBT. The indexes for the sediment and settling solids ranged from 1.14 to 8.73. The composition of the BT compounds found in the settling solids was similar to that found in the sediment. The vertical profile of the total BT compounds in the sediment was characterized by an abrupt decline from the surface. However, no butyltin compounds appeared below a depth of 10 cm, corresponding to the 1980s. Accordingly, the current results demonstrated that the levels of all butyltin species in the environment of Gwangyang Bay were relatively lower than those in other polluted coastal areas. The vertical profile also suggested a fairly recent history for the down-core.

The current paper describes the indoor/outdoor air quality in school environments through analyses of the heavy metal concentrations using Inductive Coupled Plasma(ICP). School environments in a heavy traffic area, two industrial areas, quasi-industrial area, and residential area were evaluated. The results were as follows: (1) The locations with the highest indoor and outdoor concentrations of heavy metals were the industrial areas followed by the heavy traffic area, residential area, and quasi-industrial area in a descending order of magnitude. Plus, the indoor heavy metal concentrations were higher then the outdoor ones. (2) The main heavy metal components were Zn, Al and Ca. Higher concentration levels were found indoors than outdoors. The heavy metal concentrations were also higher in the classrooms than in the corridor or outdoors. (3) The total heavy metal concentrations in the studied areas were highly dependent on the weather elements. including the relative humidity, mixing ratio, and wet-bulb depression. Accordingly, special ventilation systems are recommended to reduce air pollution in school environments.

The concentration levels of monoterpenes, including - and -pinene, were measured in a pine forest in Florida, USA, over about one year. Based on this measurement data, the current study then investigated the factors affecting the environmental behavior of monoterpenes. Despite a moderately weak temperature variability in the study area, the temperature dependence of the concentration variations was still evident. The concentrations of the two pinenes were significantly affected by changes in the air temperature, as indicated by strong correlations with temperature. A close relation among the measured parameters was also found between the -pinene and ozone concentrations, which is also in line with previous findings from other studies. In addition, it was interesting to note that the / pinene concentration ratio exhibited a strong inverse correlation to temperature, with the seasonal mean ranging from 0.51(summer) to 0.93(winter). Accordingly, the current results indicate that, in a forest environment, the major terpene species concentrations are affected by both meteorological conditions and chemical reactions.

Laboratory scale experiments were conducted to evaluate the performance of a biofilter for eliminating dimethyl sulfide(DMS). A commercial compost/pine bark nugget mixture served as the biofilter material for the experiments. The gas flow rate and DMS concentration entering the filter were varied to study their effect on the biofilter efficiency. The operating parameters, such as the residence time, inlet concentration, pH, water content, and temperature, were all monitored throughout the filter operation. The kinetic dependence of the DMS removal along the column length was also studied to obtain a quantitative description of the DMS elimination. High DMS removal efficiencies(>95％) were obtained using the compost filter material seeded with activated sludge. DMS pollutant loading rates of up to 5.2 and 5.5 g-DMS/m/hr were effectively handled by the upflow and downflow biofilter columns, respectively. The macrokinetics of the DMS removal were found to be fractional-order diffusion-limited over the 9 to 25 ppm range of inlet concentrations tested. The upflow column had an average macrokinetic coefficient(Kf/) of 0.0789 0.0178 ppm//sec, while the downflow column had an average coefficient of 0.0935 0.0200 ppm//sec. Shorter residence times resulted in a lower mass transfer of the pollutant from the gas phase to the aqueous liquid phase, thereby decreasing the efficiency.